me necessary orders, in case of circumstances
requiring a change of place. I shall act according to what may seem
proper, when I hear decidedly what the Barbarians mean to do. At
present, they are building a bridge of boats over the Po, which looks
very warlike. A few days will probably show. I think of retiring towards
Ancona, nearer the northern frontier; that is to say, if Teresa and her
father are obliged to retire, which is most likely, as all the family
are Liberals. If not, I shall stay. But my movements will depend upon
the lady's wishes--for myself, it is much the same.

"I am somewhat puzzled what to do with my little daughter, and my
effects, which are of some quantity and value,--and neither of them do
in the seat of war, where I think of going. But there is an elderly lady
who will take charge of _her_, and T. says that the Marchese C. will
undertake to hold the chattels in safe keeping. Half the city are
getting their affairs in marching trim. A pretty Carnival! The
blackguards might as well have waited till Lent.

"January 24. 1821.

"Returned--met some masques in the Corso--'Vive la bagatelle!'--the
Germans are on the Po, the Barbarians at the gate, and their masters in
council at Leybach (or whatever the eructation of the sound may syllable
into a human pronunciation), and lo! they dance and sing and make merry,
'for to-morrow they may die.' Who can say that the Arlequins are not
right? Like the Lady Baussiere, and my old friend Burton--I 'rode on.'

"Dined--(damn this pen!)--beef tough--there is no beef in Italy worth a
curse; unless a man could eat an old ox with the hide on, singed in the
sun.

"The principal persons in the events which may occur in a few days are
gone out on a _shooting party_. If it were like a '_highland_ hunting,'
a pretext of the chase for a grand re-union of counsellors and chiefs,
it would be all very well. But it is nothing more or less than a real
snivelling, popping, small-shot, water-hen waste of powder, ammunition,
and shot, for their own special amusement: a rare set of fellows for 'a
man to risk his neck with,' as 'Marishall Wells' says in the Black
Dwarf.

"If they gather,--'whilk is to be doubted,'--they will not muster a
thousand men. The reason of this is, that the populace are not
interested,--only the higher and middle orders. I wish that the
peasantry were: they are a fine savage race of two-legged leopards. But
the Bolognese won't--the Romagnuoles can't